Unfinished Grievances
by wishmaster333
Summary: A book set in the Warrior's Universe 15 seasons after The Last Hope. The Dark Forest is rising once more, and old and new cats alike are caught in this whirlwind of prophecy, mystery, and redemption.
1. A Prophecy Destined to End

**Unfinished Grievances **

Part 1: A Prophecy Destined to End (Dark Forest)

Darkstripe stood near the border between the Dark Forest, and Starclan's hunting grounds. He sometimes stood there, wondering if he had made the right choice. He wonders if he hadn't followed Tigerstar, would've he been assets to his clan instead of a hindrance. Darkstripe was lost in his thoughts, when something bounded up and hit his paw. It was a young Starclan kit.

"Why are you over here in the darkness?" The kit asked. "I made my choice." Darkstripe replied. "For it, I must remain here." He spoke rather bluntly. "Oh." The kit said. Darkstripe nudged the kit towards the border. "Run along now." He said. "Can't you come with me?" The kit asked. "No." Darkstripe said. "I can't." "Sometimes, I wish I could, but for now I must remain here." "You should hurry back towards the border." "You can't remain here."

As he finished speaking, a Starclan warrior appeared, and called over to the kit. "Come on Amberkit." Graystripe, the Starclan warrior, said." "You shouldn't be near here, or near him." Amberkit bounded over to Graystripe. "It's good I was here." He said out loud. "That traitor would've killed you if I hadn't." Amberkit looked up at him with a confused look. "You must never get close to this place." Graystripe lead the kit away, and they disappeared into the undergrowth.

"That was heart-warming." A voice spoke up behind Darkstripe. "Thistleclaw, I haven't seen you in quite some time." "What are you doing here?" Darkstripe addressed the cat. "I was looking for you." "I was chosen to ask you something?" Thistleclaw said. _Chosen? _Darkstripe wondered. "You remember our failed attempt to destroy the clans?" Thistleclaw asked. Darkstripe glared at him and his fur bristled. That was the day he lost Tigerstar for the second time. "Good." Thistleclaw purred at his outward appearance. "I can see you still have some pent up anger inside of you." "Listen Darkstripe." "We are working our way to destroy the clans once again." "Twelve seasons of peace is more than enough time to end what was started on that fateful night."

Darkstripe tilted his head. "How do you plan to accomplish this?" "We can't cross over anymore." Thistleclaw shook his head. "That's where you are wrong, and I was sent here to ask for your help." Thistleclaw said. "My help?" Darkstripe questioned. "Why would you want my help?" He asked. "It is because I want your help Darkstripe." A new voice spoke up, one Darkstripe hadn't heard for a long time. "Scourge." "It's been a long time since I've seen you about." "I didn't even know you were here." Darkstripe said. "I have been here for an incredibly long time." Scourge answered. "I have been here almost as long as you have." "You know I died down in the battle with the clans." "Firestar had killed me, but I no longer care for revenge against him." "I want revenge against all the clans." Scourge said. "Bloodclan has risen to its former glory." Scourge stated.

"So, what does this have to do with me?" Darkstripe asked. "What can you possibly gain by asking me for help?" "What sort of knowledge can I give you?" He asked. Scourge opened his mouth to speak, but Darkstripe continued talking. "Don't bother giving a reason." "I care nothing for you, or your revenge plans." Darkstripe said.

Scourge glared at him. "You're an insolent fool, Darkstripe." "I offer you the chance to get revenge for Tigerstar." "I offer you a chance to redeem your pitiful existence, and perhaps to stop you from fading." Scourge nodded towards the fact that Darkstripe had indeed begun to fade away. "Perhaps they can remember you for a while longer."

Darkstripe took in those reasons. "Perhaps they will remember me." He said. "Perhaps, they will remember me." He repeated the statement.

"Perhaps they will learn to remember Darkstripe as something more than Tigerstar's second." Scourge said. "Follow me Darkstripe." He said. "I will show you to our meeting place." Darkstripe nodded, and followed Scourge and Thistleclaw further into the Dark Forest. He trailed them as they weaved their way through the trees into a clearing. Darkstripe followed Scourge and Thistleclaw to a large clearing filled with numerous cats. Some were Dark forest warriors that had fought earlier, while others were Bloodclan warriors, and some were cats he just didn't know. Scourge climbed up a crumbling, partially broken, rock. Darkstripe saw some skid marks, so he must've pushed it from somewhere. "Cat's of the dark forest." Scourge's echo rang in the silence. "Today is a new day." "Today we start our campaign against the forest cats." The assembled cat's yowled in agreement. "Today, I will name our deputies that will become my second in command." "First, Jaggedtooth." Jaggedtooth climbed up onto the rock. _First? _Darkstripe thought. "Second, Thistleclaw." Thistleclaw shouldered past Darkstripe and leapt up onto the rock. "Third, I would like Shade to come up here." A small black she cat went up the rock to join them. _Third? How many more are there?_ Darkstripe wondered. "And last, but not least, Darkstripe, you and Thistleclaw were two of Tigerclaw's greatest advisors, so I ask that you come up here and become one of my own along with Thistleclaw."

Darkstripe stood there for a second and then pounced upon the rock, lading with grace. With his new vantage point, he realized a pool was below the rock. "Today, Rock has warned this kit of a new prophecy." In the pool a little tabby kitten appeared."Jaggedtooth, I want you to find her, and kill her." "Oh, and bring Darkstripe with you." "For backup, just in case." He leaned in closer to Jaggedtooth, and whispered him something. Jaggedtooth let a smile spread across his face, but only for a second.

"Darkstripe, come on." He beckoned with his tail. Darkstripe just followed him.

They arrived at a twisted and gnarled tree that Darkstripe had never seen before." Would you like to know, how exactly we will pass into the world of the living?" "Yeah, we aren't as powerful enough to do so, like the way we had done it before." "That is where you are wrong." "On full moons, we have just enough power to cross over, but only for a few moments until we get stronger." "This tree amplifies that power to give us ample time to cross over." "We will cross over right into the den, kill the kit, and be gone within the blink of an eye." "So in half a moon, we will meet here and the deed will be done." "Understood Darkstripe?"

"I understand." Darkstripe said as nodded his head. They walked away from the mysterious tree. "I won't be going back to camp just yet." Darkstripe said. "I need to think about some things, and clear my head." Jaggedtooth left him, and Darkstripe started to walk away, heading towards nowhere in particular.

"Why?" He asked aloud, unsure of what to think. "Why did I agree to such a thing?" Darkstripe just looked down at his paws.

"You know why Darkstripe." Thistleclaw was at his side again. "It's because you don't know what else to do." Thistleclaw told him. _Just great, _Darkstripe thought. "You want vengeance against those mangy, impure cats." Thistleclaw continued. "I mean, I sure do, don't you?" Thistleclaw asked.

Darkstripe continued looking at his paws."Of course." Darkstripe doubtfully answered.

If Thistleclaw had heard the doubt in his voice, he sure didn't make any showing of it. Those foul clan cats have lived far too long." Thistleclaw said. "I can't wait to get my claws inside the neck of one of them." Thistleclaw's eyes gleamed with hunger. "Their puny necks crushed, blood gushing out of multiple wounds, the sense of triumph, these are all things I-we- want." Thistleclaw said. They sat there for a few moments until Thistleclaw spoke up again."I must be getting back." "You would be wise to return soon enough as well."

Darkstripe nodded, as Thistleclaw padded off. He realized he was close to the border. He continued his walk, and arrived near the same spot where he was before. He needed to think, and think he did.


	2. A Prophecy Destined to Begin

Sunlight filtered through a crack in the brambles in the medicine cat den, putting itself on a little she kit's eyes. Shinekit blinked open; she groggily looked around to see where she was. She then remembered why she was there. She and her brothers had been playing in the hollow, with their mother watching over them. Poppyfrost become distracted by Berrynose talking to her, so she and her brothers sneaked away. They started to play some more atop the hollow, when she lost her balance and fell over. _What a stupid thing to do_, she thought. She sighed and tried to move around but her body ached.

"I wouldn't move around if I were you." Jayfeather's voice had startled her; she hadn't realized he was there. "Try to lie still for a while at least, you wouldn't want any serious injuries." he said. She looked up to him, and his blind eyes were staring down at her."I wonder what it must be like." she thought."Like, for what?" Jayfeather asked. She realized she must've spoken her thoughts aloud."Uh well." she stammered. Jayfether let out a little Murrow of laughter."I suppose you mean what it is like being blind." "It's not that different really." he said."I can use my other senses to tell what is going on around me, so it's like I can see, even if I can't." "Oh." she said." She felt a little embarrassed at her saying her thoughts aloud."It's alright." Jayfeather said."You don't need to be embarrassed about asking, it just means you will become a very inquisitive cat." "This is something I feel we need around here." Jayfeather purred.

"Anyway, the day has been slow, and since you can't move from that nest yet, how would you like me to tell you a story?" "Yes, please." she said excitedly. She always had liked hearing stories no matter what they were about, but her favorite had been about the evil Tigerstar and how he tried to take over the forest and later destroy the clans. "Well you see, when Lionblaze, Hollyleaf and I were kits we got into a lot of trouble." "Hollyleaf?" She asked. She saw that Jayfeather let a cloud of sadness go over his face but it quickly dissipated."She was our sister." "She had left the clans, then came back and died in the war with the Dark Forest." "Oh." Shinekit said. "It's alright; let's just continue on with our story." Jayfeather said, clearly bringing the subject away from his dead sister. "We had this idea to go out and hunt foxes." "Hunt foxes?" She remembered hearing some terrible stories about them. She shuddered. "That must've been very brave." she said."Brave and stupid."He said. "It was one of our worst ideas to date as kits." "Anyway, we went out and found them." "We were terrified, thankfully a patrol had found Lionblaze and Hollyleaf, but I ran the other direction scared." "I ended up running over and falling over the hollow, just like you did." "Wow, really?" "Yep really, Leafpool said Starclan must've saved me, since I fell alit farther than you did." "I guess they did." Shinekit said.

After some careful consideration and some more sleep she brought up the nerve to ask Jayfeather, who was still in his den, when she woke back up."What is starclan like?" She asked. "Starclan is an amazing place, filled with all the great cats and true warriors of the clans."It's where they go to live out an everlasting peace for many moons to come." "Most cats wind up there, but some end up in the Dark Forest, which I'm sure you've already been told about." he said."Yeah, I know about there. It's a dark place with no stars where the evil cats live, right?" She said."That's right." Jayfeather chewed up some herbs, and put it on her back paws."You sprained these in your fall; this should help ease the swelling and pain." She smelled the herbs, and they were nasty smelling."What is this?" she asked." "Oh just a normal poultice compromised of-" Just then another cat appeared. Hawkpaw, Jayfeather's apprentice, stepped through the door carrying herbs."Here is the Catmint and Juniper Berries you wanted." "Thanks, Hawkpaw." "With leaf-bare coming soon, we will need all the Catmint we can get." he said. "Anyway, we must get going, Brightheart will be here shortly to watch over you as we go to the Moonpool tonight."Okay." she mewed. She drifted back into sleep, she was very tired and she felt she could use some.

She awoke in a clearing, which was unfamiliar with her."What is this place?" she questioned. Another cat was there, beside her."This is where the clans combined forces to defeat Bloodclan." the cat said. She turned to face the strange voice, to see a scarred, hairless cat with bulging eyes there beside her. He sort of scared her, yet she felt she was safe with him."Who are you?" she questioned. "My name is Rock, and I have brought you here to show you what has happened." Suddenly they were surrounded by battling cats. Shinekit squealed as one hurtled through her."Don't be alarmed tiny kit." Rock said."They are just memories of the past; they can't see you or touch you." "Okay" she stammered. "Follow Me." Rock said. She followed Rock closely; still alarmed until they stopped where an orange cat was fighting a black one. Who are they?" she asked."That's Firestar fighting Scourge." "Really?" she asked."Yes really." he meowed. She watched as Firestar killed Scourge, and all the Bloodclan cats fled. "I brought you here to show you this for a reason." Rock said."There has been a new prophecy."

Suddenly they were in a dark place."The blood of the old will resurge." "It will come back with vengeance greater than Tigerstar's." his voice grew darker as he went on. "You must find a way to defeat them once and for all. The fallen warrior will show you the path." "Don't be frightened little kit, you have a great destiny upon you, and only you, with the help of friends not yet found, can save the lake and everyone near it from sure destruction. Rock faded away, and Shinekit awoke with a startling look. "Are you okay?" Brightheart's mew was very worried."Your breathing was starting to get shallow, and I wasn't sure what to do." she said."Yeah, I'm alright." "I just had a bad dream is all." she said. "Oh a bad dream, that's a relief." Brightheart's mew calmed her down. "Would you like to tell me about your dream?" She questioned. "No." she mewed. "Okay, well wake me if you have any more okay." "Okay Brightheart." she meowed. She wrapped her tail around her nose and settled back into a dreamless sleep.

Next morning, Shinekit awoke to the sound of paws walking around restlessly in the den. She blinked open her eyes and noticed Hawkpaw was frantically pacing around the den. "Jayfeather has been in his meeting with Lionblaze and Bramblestar for a very long time." He said aloud. "It's nearly mid-morning and they've been conversing the whole time." He said. "I hope everything is alright." "Perhaps the prophecy has a deeper meaning than I thought."

"Hawkpaw?" She said. "What are you talking about?" She asked. "Oh, Shinekit, you're awake." He padded over towards her. "I'm glad to see you're awake." "How are you feeling?" He asked her. "I'm alright." She said.

"Good, Starclan knows that everything needs to be going well for us to survive this." Hawkpaw said. "Survive what?" Shinekit asked. She looked at him, wondering what prophecy he was talking about, and if it correlated to what Rock had told her. She vividly remembered the dream from last night, and she hoped another cat had known what was going on.

Hawkpaw looked at her with a frown. "I'm sorry Shinekit, but I can't tell you that." "However, I can do this!" He lobbed a ball off moss at her. She reached up and tried to grab it, but it soared over her head. "You got to reach higher, Shinekit." He let our a mrrow of laughter, as she batted the ball towards him. "Oh man, you would've loved Briarlight Shinekit." "She was always so full of energy." Hawkpaw said

"Briarlight?" Shinekit asked. "Who is she?" Shinekit asked.

"She was a cat who lived here for a long while." Hawkpaw said. "She was injured when a tree fell into camp many moons ago, and had not been able to move her back legs, or feel anything in them at all." Hawkpaw said. "No one expected her to live as long as she did, but she was full of fight and determination." Hawkpaw said. "She died the very same night you were born." "During her injury she had got a nasty cough, that in the end killed her."

"Oh." Shinekit said. "Well, she's up in Starclan now, right?"

"You bet she is." Hawkpaw said. "I even seen her, and up in Starclan she could use her legs again." "She said she misses everyone down here, but she likes the use of her legs."

"Wow." Shinekit looked upwards, as if she could see the starry warriors in their sky right this very instant. "Hawkpaw, how long until you become a full medicine cat?" She asked him.

Hawkpaw seemed surprised at the question."I suppose it won't be too long now." "I've been Jayfeather's apprentice for fifteen moons." "Fifteen moons?" Shinekit asked. "How come he never gave you your name?" She asked him.

"I suppose I hadn't earned it yet." "I don' really care all that much." "I enjoy being his apprentice, and even when I do get my name he'll still be able to boss me around." He laughed. "People say he's too prickly, but underneath that thistle coating is a good cat." "He just doesn't show it all that much." Hawkpaw said. He lobbed the moss ball at her again, but she didn't seem interested anymore.

"Hawkpaw, can I tell you something?" Shinekit asked him. "Of course you can." He said. "You can tell me anything you want." He looked down onto the little she-kit, wondering what she wanted to tell him.

"I had this really weird dream last night." Shinekit said. "What about?" Hawkpaw asked. "Well, there was this really ugly looking cat." "He had no fur, and had these bulging eyes." "He took me to this clearing, where Firestar defeated Scourge, and told me something about a prohpecy." She said. _This kit sounds convincing, but it's probably just a tale, _Hawkpaw thought. "Go on, continue with your dream." He said aloud. "There were battling cats everywhere, and it was very scary." "Then, he showed me Firestar killing Scourge." "Then Rock, the cat I told you about earlier, told me about some prophecy." "He said the Dark Forest was rising, and the blood of old will resurge." "He also told me I'm supposed to stop it." Shinekit said.

Hawkpaw looked at her. _There is no way she could know about that, or Rock. _He thought. "Shinekit, I need you to come with me to Bramblestar's den." He looked down at the kit. "Follow me, and you'll find out why."


End file.
